Do I Need A Registered Agent In Florida?

Before filing your Articles of Organization with the Section of State, you demand to select a Florida Registered Agent for your LLC.

A Registered Agent in Florida is a person or company who agrees to take legal mail on behalf of your LLC in case your business gets sued.

In Florida, your Registered Amanuensis also serves as a general point of contact for receiving business concern and tax notices, payment reminders, and other documents.

Your Registered Agent must have a street address in Florida (PO Boxes aren't allowed).

Your Florida Registered Agent must also be available during normal business hours (9am – 5pm) in example Service of Process arrives. Service of Procedure for an LLC includes delivery of legal documents such as complaints, summons, or subpoenas.

In curt, this is how the Florida court and legal systems works. By providing a Registered Agent of record with a reliable Florida street address, the delivery of legal mail and courtroom documents can be tracked. It'south similar to how 'certified mail return receipt' works. Information technology creates a physical record that something was delivered.

Special offer: If you hire Northwest to class your LLC ($39 + state fee), they'll include their Registered Agent service gratis for the 1st year.

Can I be my own Registered Agent in Florida?

Aye, you can be your own Florida Registered Agent, as long every bit you run into the requirements mentioned in the next section.

However, you actually take 3 options when forming an LLC in Florida:

Option 1: You can be your LLC'southward Registered Agent in Florida (are there risks?)if you're a Florida resident over age 18.

Option 2: A friend or family member can be your LLC's Registered Agent if they're a Florida resident over historic period 18.

Option 3: You can hire a Florida Registered Agent Service , technically known as a Commercial Registered Agent.

What'due south the all-time Registered Amanuensis option to choose?

If you lot accept a street address located in Florida (such equally a habitation or function accost), and are available during business hours, you lot can be your own Registered Agent.

If y'all don't have a street address in Florida, you can utilize a friend or family unit member'south address. They demand to take a street address in Florida and be available during business organisation hours.

If you don't accept a street accost in Florida, and you don't accept a friend or family member's address that you tin can use (or adopt not to), you can hire a Florida Registered Agent Service Company.

Using a Registered Amanuensis Service Visitor in Florida as well offers more privacy (can keep your address off public records) and can be a more reliable setup.

Florida Registered Agent Services

Note: The terms "Florida Registered Amanuensis Services" and "Florida Commercial Registered Agent" hateful the same thing. We volition apply them both interchangeably.

Florida Registered Agent Service Companies specialize in receiving Service of Procedure (legal postal service) on behalf of your Florida LLC. Most Registered Amanuensis Services in Florida cost between $100 and $300 per yr.

One time hired, they will receive Service of Process on behalf of your Florida LLC and then forward information technology to you by mail service, or browse and upload it to your online account.

Who's the best Florida Registered Agent?

The Florida Registered Agent Service that we recommend (and that the LLC University team use for our own LLCs) is Northwest Registered Amanuensis ($125 per year).

Northwest has been in the business organisation for over twenty years and they have bang-up customer service.

However, 1 of the coolest things most using Northwest is the privacy feature.

How to keep your address off public records:

It'southward important to realize that your Registered Agent address (and all addresses in your LLC's Manufactures of Organization) become a office of public record. If yous desire to proceed your address off of public record, using a Registered Agent that will allow you to employ their accost as your LLC's accost can exist very helpful.

Northwest Registered Amanuensis is the only company that offers a Registered Agent service where they'll allow yous utilize their address throughout your unabridged Manufactures of Organization.

You can use their address in all sections of your Articles of Organization:

cover letter of the alphabet address
chief office address
mailing address
registered amanuensis address
member/director accost

Any mail service that is sent to your LLC will be scanned past them and uploaded into your online account.

Special discounted pricing for LLC University® readers

Northwest normally charges $100 + state fees to form an LLC. However, we've negotiated a discounted rate (lx% off) for LLC Academy® readers.

Risks of being your ain Registered Agent in Florida

Every bit mentioned to a higher place, you can be your own Registered Agent in Florida. In fact, you, a friend, or a family member tin be your Florida Registered Agent.

Only are there whatsoever risks to being your own Registered Agent?

In curt, there are risks. They are non very likely to occur, simply if they do, you could lose your liability protection and the Florida Department of State has the ability to administratively dissolve (close downwardly) your LLC.

This tin can happen if y'all don't maintain (always have) a Registered Amanuensis on file, or if the Department of Land is unsuccessful in reaching your Florida Registered Amanuensis.

Additionally, if a procedure server (a person who serves court documents and notices of lawsuits) is unsuccessful in reaching your Florida Registered Agent, a court example can keep in your absence and you might not even know about information technology. Worse, the court could enter a default judgment against your LLC if you aren't there to defend yourself.

A few reasons a process server might not be able to reach your Florida LLC'south Registered Agent:

yous, your friend, or family unit fellow member are not at that place during concern hours (the country of Florida requires that your Registered Amanuensis maintain normal business concern hours)
you/they are on vacation or out of town
you/they moved and you lot forgot to file a Alter of Registered Amanuensis with the country

Using a Florida Registered Agent Service like Northwest Registered Amanuensis is a more than reliable setup and offers more privacy.

It also gives you the freedom to accept vacations and not worry nigh changing your Registered Agent accost if you move.

Next Step

Once you decide who will serve as your Florida LLC's Registered Amanuensis, you tin can then keep to the next Lesson: Florida LLC Manufactures of Organization.

If you need to rent a Florida Registered Agent Service (a Commercial Registered Amanuensis), please do so before going to the next step.

Founder & Educator, LLC Academy®

Matt Horwitz has been the leading expert on LLC educational activity for the by decade. He founded LLC University in 2010 after realizing people needed simple and actionable instructions to offset an LLC that other companies weren't offer. He's cited by Entrepreneur Magazine, Yahoo Finance, and the United states of america Bedroom of Commerce, and was featured by CNBC and InventRight.

Matt holds a Bachelor's Degree in business from Drexel University with a concentration in business police. He performs extensive research and analysis to convert land laws into simple instructions anyone can follow to form their LLC - all for gratuitous! Read more most Matt Horwitz and LLC University.